The 5 Best Stovetop Espresso Makers (+1 Electric Moka Pot!!)

Stovetop espresso makers (aka moka pots) do not cost a lot on average. The best moka pots are far cheaper than just about any other kind of coffee maker.

Even still there are differences in quality between all stove top espresso pots. Some are better than others and there are reasons to buy some moka pots over others.

Quick Tip – There’s no doubt Bialetti makes some of the best selling moka pots on the market but I think the absolute best moka pot for sale today is the Alicia Electric Moka Espresso Coffee Maker by De’Longhi. It will give you the most consistent quality coffee and will be the safest to use in the home.

Below I’ve tried to steer you towards the best stove top espresso makers sold today. Check them out and choose the one for you based on your volume requirements and based on how much use you think it will get.

The Best Stovetop Espresso Makers (Moka Pots) + Reviews

Of all the various moka pots on the market the ones made by Bialetti are easily the most famous. As a brand they are the best selling brand of moka pot aroud and as you would expect their products are the best for the money. Even still there are quite a few other high end moka pots for sale from some of the other brands. Here at Stovpreso we believe these are the best options for the average customer.

Bialetti 6-Cup Stovetop Espresso Maker – This is the best selling moka pot of them all and for good reason. It is made to a very high quality standard, makes great coffee, has easy gaskets to find for maintenance, and is priced affordably. Not only that but it also is big for a stovetop espresso maker!

Alessi 9090 3-Cup Stove Top Espresso Coffee Maker – Alessi is one of our favorite brands here at Stovpreso. They make mostly 18/10 stainless steel moka pots in a variety of designer styles. This model was designed by Richard Sapper and it is suitable for induction cooktops. I probably wouldn’t bring this camping but it’s a beautiful piece for your kitchen between uses.

Delonghi EMK6 Alicia Electric Moka Espresso Coffee Maker – This espresso maker from De’Longhi is another favorite of ours here because it is also made by a high end company in the coffee space.What sets it apart however is that this model does not require you to use your stovetop. You make moka on the devices own dedicated heater base.

Primula Stovetop Espresso Coffee Maker – Primula makes a bestselling aluminum moka pot that is similar in style to Bialetti. Replacement gaskets are also pretty easy to find. Most people find the build quality to be a litte less but that’s why this coffee maker is my favorite moka pot for camping or open flame. It doesn’t cost a lot so it’s no big deal if it gets a bit “roughed up”.

Vev Vigano 8010 Kontessa Oro 12-cup Italian Espresso Maker – Most people don’t want a moka pot this big but for those that do I love the style of Vev Vigano and this one will please everyone regardless of the type of stove they own. You can get a great 12-cup Bialetti Moka Express but to this one is just a little fancier and since it’s such a large moka pot you will want it to look good as it will be hard to tuck away in a cabinet.

Are Aluminum Moka Pots Better than Stainless Steel?

For the average consumer a simple aluminum stovetop espresso maker will be fine. Most of the high end moka pots made by Bialetti, Alessi, and other major manufacturers make predominantly aluminum pots. The metal is very good at conducting heat evenly and it heats up and cools down fast.

Some people prefer stainless steel however and some of the designer espresso pots are forged from steel. They are a bit ore durable but on average they are a lot more attractive to the eye. They make great gifts too.

On the low end some makers like Primula make some good stainless steel options for their price but those featured above are going to last longer and perform better over time.

Some features that make a stovetop pot better than the others include better seals and higher end details like the rubber gasket. Seems like a small thing but a god gasket and a proper seal can make a huge difference in the moka produced. A sturdy moka pot will always make better espresso than a cheaply made pot with a poor seal.

Stovetop Espresso Makers (Moka Pots) vs Espresso Machines

As you dive into the world of Italian espresso or moka coffee you would be a little weird if you didn’t wonder what the difference was between moka and machine espresso. It is similar after all and it is portioned in the same sizes as espresso shots.

The main differences in moka vs espresso has to do with the brew pressure difference between the two. If you tried really hard by selcting the right grind size and tamped it a bit you might be able to get a moka pot up to 2 bar but traditional espresso machines brew under much greater pressure than that. 15 bar is quite commoon and Nespresso even touts their machines at 19 bar!

As a result stovetop espresso will never achieve the crema that is produced at the higher pressure and the texture will only approximate espresso. Generally moka will taste and feel like the strongest coffee you’ve ever had but without any of the bitterness or burned flavors of overdone percolators or over-extracted french press coffee.

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